On the final day of Cyprus training camp, Partizan boss Igor Duljaj talked to the official website on club`s January activities, new signings, winter preps and upcoming season`s restart.
“I`m pleased how the team trained and looked overall, considering the conditions. There were no incidents and players did most of things planned, regardless of some bad pitch conditions. This final friendly that got cancelled did complicate things a bit as we only had three friendlies over two weeks, which left a bad impression”, starts Duljaj.
So, Partizan failed to do a final form test as the last friendly of the preps got cancelled due to a bad weather conditions?
“You pick up your form best playing games. We planned to have full game for number of players as we needed to but it`s how it is. We`ll have to modify some things, to see what we are going to do now. As planned, squad was supposed to have three days off now but we practically didn`t train for three days here and that`s a lot of time. But, we can`t complain, we have to move forward. There`s six more days for us at home to get ready for the Javor match”.
Heavy rain also damaged the structure of the training field here in Cyprus.
“I was a player and it`s hard when you train on bad pitch surfaces, you can suffer some serious injuries. I don`t know what to expect once the league restarts, what kind of pitch surfaces around, but I`m pleased many colleagues said in public how pitches have become a problem on our football scene. I would love everyone to have conditions as Partizan, Crvena Zvezda or TSC have, so that no one can complain of mud or waterlogged pitches. We need to look into that – everyone to have the same playing conditions”.
There are five new signing this winter.
“We analyzed things and looked for players we can sign. Club spent significant amount of money to bring them, Goh especially. Our logic was to sign younger players, those who want to prove themselves and succeed. Goh is only 22, Owusu is 26, Milicic is only 19 but needs to nurse his injury and it will take a bit of time for him to get back to full fitness and form – all of them will raise the level of the team, sooner or later. It`s good we reacted swiftly and got our newcomers on time”.
What about Denil Castillo?
“Before his arrival, I spoke to Shakhtar scouting team and Srna himself. They told me he is quite shy but you can see a smile on his face after several days with us. It shows we have a positive atmosphere here and I always underline how team atmosphere is one of the key factors of good work and success. Castillo is young, he is here on loan with no buy-out clause but we had to react straight away upon departures of Ilic and Belic. Castillo is sort of Belic`s replacement, he can play number 6 and 8. He had offers from clubs who promised him 75% of appearances but he opted for us. Players used to avoid us, now they want to come down. It shows we are still alive and kicking”.
After the departure of Mihajlo Ilic, who will play as a starter on a home-grown bonus player rule?
“Ilic was very important player for us and a bonus as well. Do you remember what we want through last summer during Slovenia preps? It was hard promoting such a young player when you need instant results but we managed it and we are still in a title race. Belic was the heart of our team and his replacements will need time to step into his boots and bring the quality to this team. We`ll see what`s going to happen once we return home. Everyone here did a great work and I have to praise Bazdar who had excellent preps. He cleared his head and needs to be praised. We talked and I told him he has to work even harder and to wait for his playing opportunities. Once they come up, to use them for his benefit. There`s lots of players, we need to fit them all in. We`ll see what happens”.
Ghayas Zahid as number 8?
“Zahid can cover a number of playing positions. He played to the left for us although he`s not a winger. Zahid often played centrally and had a great communication with Natcho, created opportunities founding himself in opposition box often, he is a goal threat. There`s no problems whatever playing position he is on. Goh will give us a lot, more speed and aggression. When I took over Partizan coaching post, I wanted aggressive players who can play most of the game on a high level, aggressive attacking players”.
So, all the needed new signings are here?
“Yes, everyone we wanted signed for us. It`s good most of the players from last summer preps are still here so we don`t need to go through introduction process as we did at the ahead of the start of the season. We know each other now and I didn`t waste my time explaining things, players know what the demands are and we have to be please with it”.
Good half-season was recognized in a shape of lucrative transfers as well?
“It means a lot! Besides others, we had lots of offers for Saldanha and I already said it will be hard to keep some players. You`ve seen who Ilic and Belic signed for. I`d love club to continue this practice in the future, to sign young player who can adapt quick, give you the results and then you can make a profit when they move on. That was my idea and it`s coming through but there`s lot of work there. I`m pleased how the team trained and how they adapted our demands. We have extremely tough period ahead of us and the most important is the next game, so it`s all about Javor away now”.
Partizan is top of the pile mid-season, pressure must be higher now as a result of it?
“Partizan opponents always come out strong against us and that`s good. We can see where our strengths and weakness are. I don`t really care what others think about us, my time is spent on my team, I`m only interested in our work and how we look on the field, that`s all that matters. We had a good half-season while we were in a process of creating a new team. We did have bad patches but we also had good times. It matters when you see players being pleased by getting respect again, our opponents respect us. We gained back respect we always had but we lost it at some point. Also, we need to respect everyone, never to underestimate anyone but we need to think about our team only”.
Millions were offered for Saldanha.
“I didn`t have any special chat with him, nor with the other players. He respected our agreement, trained diligently, he`s here and fans will be able to watch more of him, that`s what really matters. Saldanha scored a lot of goals but what matters even more is his attitude towards club and work”.
All the players did winter preps.
“That`s also very important as much as we don`t need to go through introduction process. As such, they pick up form much easier. It`s hard without having training camp, even if you have individual training. It`s even worse if you have no friendlies, that really complicates things. That was the case with Zahid – only when he said he was ready, he started playing. Such playing positions allow you to gradually introduce players, for them to gradually pick up the form”.
What will Nathan de Medina`s role be in the second part of the season?
“It`s a specific playing position for de Medina. You can`t play centre-back for 15 mins as you can do with forwards or wingers. They only come in if someone is injured. Milicic was signed to help Partizan as a bonus rule player and his injury affects our concept but let`s wait a few days, we have a few bonus rule options. It`s not easy but decisions have to be made. You can`t expect Goh to play straight away, he`s not ready yet. He did only a few training sessions before his arrival, he`ll need time but his form will be picked up through his appearances”.
What will be the title decider, Eternal derby or games with so-called minnows?
“Javor away, that`s the game I`m thinking about really. Every game I a derby game, it`s all about winning or losing three points and it`s all equally important. We`ll try to be at our best but we never make any promises, it`s all about the next opponent in line”.
What about other team`s transfers, their arrivals and departures, their European exits, what kind of influence it has on our team?
“I`m only handling things with my team. Once the season restarts, we`ll see what happens. We know all about other teams, how they are all playing, their new signings and departures…There were some coaching changes as well. But, it`s close to being the same, more or less. We`ll go game by game, starting with Javor away, Saturday 2pm kick-off”.
Atmosphere in the dressing room is fantastic.
“That`s extremely important. Players have their four walls, their dressing room, it`s controlled by them and they make things easier for me. We have a great collective you can feel they are in it together; regardless of the fact we have players from all over the world. It feels like they`ve been here for a long time, a true family atmosphere is there. I keep saying atmosphere is the most important for tranquility and good work”.
